Orange City Council has a bumper line-up of school holiday activities these school holidays.
Orange Regional Museum’s school holiday program will focus on the current exhibition How Cities Work and will even include workshops with the exhibition’s illustrator James Gulliver Hancock.
This is the last chance for families to enjoy the exhibition, which will close at the end of the school holidays and the museum will offer guided family tours of the exhibition on July 6 and 12.
LAST CHANCE: How Cities Work, at Orange Regional Museum.
James will show children how to make their own pop-up city on Thursday 7 July, and he will guide children through creating their own futuristic vehicle on Friday 8 July.
The following week, on Wednesday 13 July, museum staff will host the Mystery Bag Invention Challenge, which will encourage children to invent a machine to solve a problem.
In the first week of the winter break, Orange Regional Gallery will host fun activities inspired by the current exhibition hello, good to meet you by Liam Benson, and all workshops include a visit to the interactive exhibition. In fact, the artist will host drop-in and play sessions for families on Thursday 7 July.
Children can make their own wearable rainbows out of recycled fabrics with artist educator Karen Golland on Tuesday 5 July, or use mixed media to create their own dream horse with artist educator Jaq Davies on Wednesday 6 July. On Thursday 7 July, children can explore touch, sound and movement in an experimental drawing workshop with artist educator Heather Balance.
In the second week, the Gallery will host a free four-day workshop for young people aged 12 to 18, with the Museum of Contemporary Art.
Meet and work alongside practicing artists, unpack contemporary art and play with mediums and methods. Whether you love to sketch, take snaps on your phone, or cut-and-paste poetry, you’re welcome to come along, expand your creative processes, build skills, and find new ways to express yourself.
This workshop cannot be booked online. Contact Cecilie Knowles at Orange Regional Gallery on 6393 8136 for information and an application form or pick up a copy from Gallery reception.
Orange Youth Hub on Garema Road will be open from 10 am to 6pm every weekday during the school holidays for young people aged 12 to 24 to drop in and hang out, and the Youth Hub has transport available or anyone wishing to attend any of its events.
A comic book drawing workshop will be held on Monday 4 July and a sport, gaming and academic decathlon will be held on Wednesday 6 July, with prizes up for grabs. On Friday, interested participants will visit the new Missing Klues escape room.
MEET THE ARTIST: Liam Benson, hello, good to meet you, 2019. Image courtesy the artist and the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, © the artist, photograph: Jaimi Joy.
In the second week, a Call Of Duty tournament will be held on Monday 11 July and a movie day at Odeon 5 Cinemas on Wednesday 13 July, and activities will finish up with a 3×3 basketball competition on Friday 15 July, with a barbecue, music and prizes.
Celebrate all things Harry Potter these winter school holidays as Orange City Library marks the 25th anniversary of JK Rowling’s novel Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
Potter-Fest will be a fun fortnight of activities for children and adults alike to mark a quarter of a century of wizarding adventures.
Harry Potter and the Library Scurry will be held throughout the school holidays, challenging children to find 12 hidden Potter pictures in the library to go in the draw to win great prizes.
Harry Potter Trivia for Grown Ups will be held at the Library from 7pm to 9pm on Friday 1 July with guest host Ben from Trivialicious. There will be prizes for the best costumes as well as the winning team.
A highlight of the festivities, the Ministry of Magic Escape Room will be held at Croagh Patrick from 6-8 July, with daytime sessions for children and two evening sessions for adults on July 8.
Teams of 3-5 people must decode the clues, uncover the artefact and save the world from Voldemort.
The second week of the holidays will include Tech Toys at the Ministry of Magic on Monday 11 July and Hogwarts Lego Club on Wednesday 13 July. The PotterFest Wrap Party will be held
Thursday 14 July, with wand-making workshops, Harry Potter trivia, film clips and Potter-themed snacks, as well as prizes for best dressed.
Orange City Council’s Services Policy Committee Chair, Cr Mel McDonell, encouraged Harry Potter fans, young and old, to join in the fun.
“It’s been 25 years, so a lot of Harry Potter fans are all grown up and our library staff didn’t want anyone to miss out on the activities they’ve conjured up,” Cr McDonell said.
“They’ve pulled out all the stops to create a Harry Potter celebration to remember for lovers of the Harry Potter novels of all ages.”
All Council school holiday activities are available to view on the events calendar on our website.
